ACHR News
search
Ask ACHR NEWS AI
cart
facebook twitter instagram linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
ACHR News
  • NEWS
    • Breaking News
    • New HVAC Products
    • Featured Products
    • Manufacturer Reports
    • HVAC Data
    • Legislation
    • ACHR NEWS Centennial
  • RESIDENTIAL
    • Air Conditioners
    • Furnaces
    • Residential Heat Pumps
    • Ductless
    • Residential IAQ
    • Testing, Monitoring, Tools
    • Components & Accessories
  • COMMERCIAL
    • Air Handlers
    • Rooftop Units
    • Chillers and Cooling Towers
    • Commercial Heat Pumps
    • Boilers and Hydronics
    • VRF/Ductless
    • Commercial IAQ
  • REFRIGERATION
    • Refrigerants
    • Refrigerant Regulations
    • Leak Management
  • CONTRACTOR PRO
    • Geothermal
    • Homeowner Study
    • VRF and VRV Ductless
    • Unitary Trends
  • EDUCATION
    • Training and Education
    • Business Management
    • Service and Maintenance
    • Continuing Education
    • Market Research >
      • HVAC Brand Awareness Report
      • VRV, VRF, VRVZ Report
      • Unitary Trends Report
      • Water Heat Professionals Report
    • Webinars
    • Sponsor Insights
    • eProducts Info
    • White Papers
  • EVENTS
    • HVAC Contractor Forum
    • Industry Events and Webinars
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
    • AHR Expo 2025 Videos
    • Podcasts >
      • ACHR News Podcast
      • HARDI Podcasts
      • AHR Expo Podcasts
      • ACCA Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Quizzes
    • eBooks
    • HVAC Talkback
  • HVAC GROUP
    • ACHR NEWS >
      • Current Issue
      • Digital Edition
      • Subscribe
    • Distribution Trends
    • SNIPS NEWS >
      • Join SNIPS NEWS
    • Engineered Systems News >
      • Join ES News
    • HVACR Directory
    • Contests
    • Newsletters
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • My Account
HVAC ContractingNewsBusiness ManagementGuest Column

Help Your HVAC Clients Feel Better

Caring genuinely for your customers may help your company too

By Mike Treas
Business Management - The ACHR News
The ACHR NEWS
December 16, 2020

Have you ever visited a client and noticed that they needed a friend? Or that client that needed a little help that you just could not avoid giving? Do you ever see those needs in clients but know someone else will take care of them, so you don’t have to? I would like you to consider looking at clients with empathy, and caring enough to do something extraordinary for them.

READ MORE ABOUT

• Customer Service

• Business Management

In today’s uncertain times, there are people who are alone, people who have limited visitors, and some who just need a smile from someone like you. Some people are unhappy about what is happening around the world, and some are scared. Maybe you are, too. Remember, you have the ability to make someone’s day. You might help someone feel better by just asking how they are doing. When you truly care, it shows. When you ask, “How are you?” and really mean it, they know. When you simply help clients to have heat again but do it from your heart and truly mean it, you can make someone feel so much better.

Right now, you are wearing a mask when you visit clients, and you might be thinking, “How can they see my smile?” It shows in your face around your mask. It is in your voice, your body language, and your eyes. Smile at people and you will see them smile back. Smile with people and you will start to get a look at them in a different way. Ask if there is anything you can do for them and find out how you can make their day. When you treat people with dignity and empathize with their situation, your inner voice will tell you what you should do.

“You have the opportunity to make today a better day for someone you visit. … Take a little extra time to have a real conversation with them, and you might find out their bedroom is cold. Offer help, not products. No one wants to buy or be sold things — but they want, need, and buy solutions.”

We’ve all been told we should approach our job with integrity and character. The easiest way to define integrity and character is this: You are who you are, wherever you are and with whomever you are. So, whether you are with the boys, hanging out and being boys, or you are with your grandmother, you are the same guy. I know we bend the rules a little, but you get the point. Can everyone you know or meet count on you to be a stand-up guy, just like you are with your family?

You have the opportunity to make today a better day for someone you visit. Imagine if you helped every client you visit feel better just by smiling and working from your heart to help them not just be comfortable but to feel better inside. When you see what your clients need help with, when you feel they need a hug but all you can do is smile and ask, “How are you?”, you might just make a huge difference in the life of someone who needed you today.

These small acts of kindness take little time and very little effort. They might also help you make more money. That’s right, happy clients buy more. When you truly care, you will also find out how you can help homeowners with their indoor air quality and their comfort. Today we should all be discussing ultraviolet air purifiers, letting clients know how the purifiers clean viruses from the air. Take a little extra time to have a real conversation with them, and you might find out their bedroom is cold. Offer help, not products. No one wants to buy or be sold things — but they want, need, and buy solutions. Care about people, and you will see the opportunity to help them and help your own family in the process.

 

Ready to continue exploring in-home sales strategies, and learning more about some industry-accepted best practices? Download a free training package complete with online course, industry research report, sample presentation and much more, at egia.org/achr-sales.

Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS →

KEYWORDS: Customer Service and HVACR Leadership and HVACR My Two Cents

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

 

Mike Treas brings experience in the contracting industry as a sales manager and comfort advisor for a residential heating and air conditioning contractor. He has personally worked with hundreds of contracting companies across North America, conducting training and consulting in the areas of sales, sales management, business management, customer service, and technician lead-generation training. His background consists of 35 years in sales and sales management bringing expertise, knowledge, techniques and strategies proven in the contracting industry to increase sales. He is an EGIA Contractor University faculty member.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • HVAC-enrollment

    The Trades Are Back: HVACR Programs See Nearly 30% Enrollment Spike

    A new wave of future technicians is entering the pipeline.  
    News
    By: Matt Jachman
  • 2025 Top 40 Under 40

    2025 Top 40 Under 40 HVACR Professionals List

    The 11th annual Top 40 Under 40 list highlights those...
    HVAC Residential Market
    By: Hannah Belloli-Oster
  • LG Ductless Mini-Split Systems

    The 9 Types of Heat Pumps

    As the U.S. moves toward electrification, heat pumps are...
    HVAC Commercial Market
    By: Joanna R. Turpin
Subscription Center
  • Create an Account
  • Start a Subscription
  • Manage My Account
  • Sign Up for Newsletters
  • Visit Customer Service
  • Update Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to The News audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of The News or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Piggy Bank
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Energy Prices, Inflation, and HVAC: What Today’s Homeowners Care About

  • Refrigerated Food
    Sponsored bySolstice Advanced Materials

    R-455A Refrigeration: A Cold Storage Solution for the Future

  • Airex Rooftop Units
    Sponsored byAirex Manufacturing Inc

    Consolidating Roof Penetrations: A Growing Trend in Multifamily HVAC Design

Popular Stories

Outdoor-condensing-units.jpg

EPA Removes R-410A Installation Deadline

Trump-Section-232.jpg

Trump Reduces Section 232 Tariffs on HVAC Equipment to 15%

cooling-habits.jpg

50 Percent of Americans Have Skipped HVAC Maintenance

ACHR NEWS Editor Chris Gray Presenting HVAC Minute 5-18-2026

HVAC Manufacturers Fight Pricing Lawsuits

tim-brooks.jpeg

2026’s Best Distributor Partners With Customers

View The ACHR NEWS
Centennial Anniversary Timeline

The ACHR News Timeline Chart
Submit a Letter
Submit a letter to our editors.

Events

November 6, 2025

Next-Gen Data Center Cooling: HVAC Innovation and Real-World Solutions

On Demand As AI workloads and high-density computing push traditional cooling methods to their limits, the data center industry is accelerating the adoption of next-generation HVAC technologies.

June 9, 2026

Before You Go All In on AI: Set Up Your Business to Actually Win

In this webinar, we'll walk you through exactly what to get in place before you add AI to your business. You'll leave with a clear picture of where you stand today and a practical action plan to set yourself up for real results.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

EPA Decision

Are you happy the EPA decided contractors can continue to install R-410A equipment?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

BNI Mechanical/Electrical Square Foot Costbook, 2026 Edition

BNI Mechanical/Electrical Square Foot Costbook, 2026 Edition

See More Products
A2L Refrigerants - Free Webinar - May 21, 2026

Related Articles

  • HVAC Professional with Clients

    Be the HVAC Pro Your Clients Expect You to Be

    See More
  • How Extra Certifications Help Your HVAC Career

    See More
  • HVACR Trends

    Business Leaders Feel Better, but Concerns Remain

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • front cover only.jpg

    How to Market Your HVAC Business

  • Top 100 HVAC/R Tips

See More Products

Related Directories

  • AprilAire

    AprilAire is Healthy Air. AprilAire has been delivering Healthy Air since 1954 to help you feel better, sleep better, and live better.
  • Your Bargain Mart

    We are a MRCOOL Dealer and carry contractor-grade HVAC equipment, air handlers, condensers, heat pumps, gas furnaces, evaporator coils and heat pumps, gas, and electric packaged units.
×

Sign Up. Stay Informed.

The #1 trusted source for the HVACR industry since 1926

SUBSCRIBE
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Advisory Board
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Letter
    • Directories
    • Store
  • ACCOUNT CENTER
    • Create an Account
    • Start a Subscription
    • Manage My Account
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Visit Customer Service
    • Update Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing